"I have seen enough from this position to convince me that the next manager will be inheriting a squad capable of winning honours," he said in his programme notes ahead of the visit of Hull City on Tuesday.

"I don't buy into the theory that this club needs to bring in lots of new players and sell off a lot of the current squad.

"We have always strengthened here at United, in times of success as much as in times of rebuilding, and I am sure we will be doing business in the next transfer window, but a few carefully chosen recruits will bring the best out of the existing squad.

"We saw as recently as our win over Norwich that the players are capable of overrunning opponents, while the sheer number of winner's medals shared between the players in the dressing room speaks for itself.

"This is a club and a squad accustomed to winning, and every single member of the playing staff and coaching staff recognises that this season has fallen well short of the standards we have set."